Dusting brush for vacuum cleaners



'May 3, 1949. A. L. BRAKMN 2,469,256

DUsTING BRUSH RoR VACUUM CLEANERS Filed oct. 18, 1945 Patented May 3, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DUSTING BRUSH FOR VACUUM CLEANERS Abram L. Brakman, Rochester, N. Y.

Application October 1S, 1945, Serial No. 623,079

2 Claims.

1 The present invention relates to a brush attachment for vacuum cleaners, designed especially for convenient use in dusting operations. The principal object of the invention is the provision of an improved brush so designed and constructed as to be particularly efficient in the operation of removing dust from furniture, draperies, curtains, etc.

Another object is the provision of a brush so constructed that it may be used with the greatest ease, even by an inexperienced person.

Still another object is the provision of a vacuum dusting brush so constructed as to give a good distribution of vacuum Within the space enclosed by the bristles of the brush.

A further object is the provision of a dusting brush in which the bristles are firmly held against accidental loosening, and in which they are so placed that no matter how much downward pressure is applied to the brush, the bristles will not cover or clog the vacuum passageway.

A still further object is the provision of a vacuum dusting brush so constructed that it is easier and more convenient to use than prior brushes.

These and other desirable objects are accomplished by the construction disclosed as an illustrative embodiment of the invention in the following description and in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a dusting brush in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken longitudinally throuh the same;

Fig. 3 is, in part, a horizontal section through the same;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is' an enlarged longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3, showing the manner of attaching the bristles to the body of the brush.

The same reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts'.

The brush of the present invention comprises, in its preferred form, a brush back member Il formed preferably of molded plastic material and having an elongated shape, slightly dished downwardly except at its ends, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and provided with a central longitudinal slot I3 somewhat shorter than the length of the brush but extending throughout the major part of the length, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The back member Il is provided with two rows of inclined holes l5 and l1', larger at the lower ends than at their upper ends, for receiving tufts of brush bristles or hairs 2| and 23 respectively, which tufts are held in place by Wire stitching as indicated at 25, formed preferably of fine copper wires extending along the top of the brush back I l and looped downwardly through the holes l5 and il to extend through each separate tuft of bristles, as shown. The individual bristles in each tuft are approximately twice the length of the tuft, and are folded or doubled back upon themselves at the upper end of the tuft (seated in the holes l5 and l1) and the Wire stitching 25 extends through each tuft of bristles at the center of the bend or fold, so that all of the individual bristles in the tuft are, in effect, wrapped around the wire stitching 25, as shown. Thus the bristles are held very securely in place and will last for an unusually long time without danger of accidental dislodgement. As seen in Fig. 5, the bristles are seated in the larger-diameter lower portions of the holes, and the Wires 25 come down to the bristles through the smaller-diameter upper portions of the holes.

A cover member 3l, likewise preferably of molded plastic material, has a downwardly extending marginal ange 33 all the way around its periphery, tightly embracing the periphery of the member Il. For a short distance inwardly from the marginal iiange 33, the bottom of the cover member 3l is fiat, and the corresponding top part of the back member Il (in the vicinity of the wire stitching 25) is likewise flat, and a suitable cement or adhesive 35 (Fig. 4) is interposed between these two flat portions of the cover 3l and back Il, respectively, serving not only to hold the cover on the back, but also to hold the stitching 25 firmly in place and prevent dislodgement of the stitching and consequent dislodge- 35 ment of the bristle tufts, even if the stitching should accidentally break. Further inwardly, toward the center of the brush and beyond the area covered by the adhesive 35, the bottom surface of the cover 3| is hollowed as at 31 to increase the size of a chamber formed between the back member and the cover member. This chamber merges gradually into a cylindrical neck portion 4|, the axis of which lies in the same vertical plane with the longitudinal center line of the brush, and at an angle of about 45 to the horizontal plane of the brush back. This cylindrical neck 4l is of the proper size to fit the standard hose attachment or extension customarily used in association with vacuum cleaners, and is provided with any suit-able device or construction for holding the neck 4l rmly on the end of the hose or extension with which it is to be used.

It is noted from Figs. 3, 4, and 5 that the bristles 2l of the inner row are staggered with respect to the bristles 23 of the outer row, and that these two rows are quite close together, so that the two rows of bristles in conjunction with each other form a substantial wall around the periphery of the brush. It is also noted that the brush is distinctly elongated, the rear end being preferably semicircular and the front end slightly pointed, as shown, and the brush being sufficiently narrow so that it may be thrust easily into small spaces or openings, such as the spaces between sections of a1. heating fradiators Also'fit `i-s noted that both rows of vbristles 2| and 23` are inclined outwardly at a substantial angle, preferably being.

inclined at about 10 to 15 from a vertical poSi-' tion, so that if downward pressurefiistappli'edz tot the brush to tend to mash it down onto a surface, the bristles in mashing down will deinitely swing outwardly rather thanl inwardly, andzthfus.-

will not clog or interfere with the vacuum opening or passageway I3, which will at alltimes remain open and be capable of carrying off the dust andly dirt :by means of f a current of f air v.lowe ingffthroughfths. passageway f3; thence through the hallowedoutI space.` betweenf' the backA and the-r cover of the brush',r and f thence: to 'thei'neck di andiorr to the*vacuum` apparatus;

The use of Itheflon'gnarrow slot IStfin the-:back of the: brush hasbeenf lfound lto'- be :quite: ativan; tagfeousgl` since uit idistributes fthe vacu'tmi approxi mately evenly'. throughout lth'ef space: enel'osedfby thebristlesyl Ifthi's restrictedfsl'oty were-notempllfofyedl, Aandi` if"theibrushiI back I I v'werefcut away to ad substar'itially'v larger extent; the vacuum wouldF belargely? concentrated' irr. the vicinity where the-neck `It! connects 'with thefbru'shf; about twofthirds of tl'reway-bacl:v from thefront end of?the.bruslclA There would"` beta.' great rush of air inf-this vicinity; anda" great reduction' =of. the suctionf atthel frontf'and rear ends lof'tl'rei But by cutting only a restricted.Ielon'gatedjrsl'ot l3 through. the 'backll ofthebfrush; rather than awlarg'eropening', it is found that? alli .parts -of thespaee enclosed by thezbristles' arexsubjected to a-n adequatefam'ount'of `vafeuum'for suctioni;Y greatly improving-the. loperation fofl'the brush.'`

In `use,ftlf1'elon`g narrowbod'yf offtheibrushxmay be directlyfgrasped.Joy the' fingers; or' th'efn'eck 411i orf' the-hose' extensionconneetedtothisrneck cani be grasped: In 'feitherfv event the usef of" the brus'hlis very easy.- 'It Vmay-be movediup Aand down along f draperies? orfcurtainszh'anging.; on a brush* (preferablyabout ynten for'Vv twelveinchesl a widestreak ofE cleaning' iisl' 'accomplished 'each lateral stroke ofrlthe brush, so'f'that largxerarea isquicklyclaned'j yet inf spiteaof thisgreat'length of' the? brush, it is" not Sh'eavy or awkward irrruse, because of its narrown'ress.. hose-connectionis in' the sam'etvertical.planefwith the longitudinal axis' of thebrust-1^makesv this brus'hfl rniu'ch easier toiV use;` in gettingfg: into restricted openings;` or passageways" in furniture;

-radiators,-l eter, than.; the conventional; vacuum brushes in which the handle 'or-f hose: connection agaproxirnately1at` right: angles to the longituf dinal axis ofth'e brush.: The great-fusefulness or=tlrepresent brush ifsr easily demonstratedv by. a few` moment' of actual l use;y Yet' along with all theseY advantages, the brush isextremelysimple and inexpensive to manufacture;

It -is seen fro'rrr-theV foregoing disclosure that axconstructiorris provided which admirablyfulfills@ thev aboveementioned objects of the invention'. It is to be un'derstood'that the lforegoing disclosure isfgivenby lway of. illustrative*E example only, rather than by way of limitation, and that without departing from the invention, the construction may be varied within the scope of the appended claims.,

What isa-'claimed is:

l. A`vacuum dusting brush comprising a relatively long and narrow brush back member having two rows of bristles projecting obliquely downwardly'andioutwardly from the lower face of said back member continuously around all sides ofi`sai'dmiemb'er; Said bristles being relatively long andifexible; aslot-formed through the thickness of said brush back member and extending longitudinal-ly thereof approximately centrally thereof throughout the major part of the length of said#A back membert ai cover memberVA overlying saidfbacieimember; ,said'l covenrmember Shaving.' a depend'ing: margincalfflange around; its periphery embracing and'.fcoverirrgt the:` lateral 'edge of said back mem-ber substantiallyicompletelyraround: the perimeterf'tlrereof. .th'e'lowerf face4A off said'y cover memberfbeingaspaced. upwardly from the upper face of said back memberti throughout the centralizpart of isaidexinsembemand` tubular. I vacuum conn'ectiorrneclcformedzintegrallywith said'` cover member an'dfirisingobliqnelyttherefrornat-:a point intermediate. theendsfof said cover member,l said tubularfneckrhavingea raxisiflying approximately ine the? :samer fvertical planes 1 as the"J longitudinal axis of said back member-and-'coverLrnemberand latein-'griinclined:atanrl auflgl'erof approxm'atelyl 45 degrees itowsaitealong-itudinalvaxis:

2-. `A vaouurlrr?dustingrbrush;I Acomprising a rela.- tivelyfy long; and narrow#` brushy back? member roundedQ-at itsf rearxe'ndrland pointed -at Lits. forward endvai pirrralityrfl otr closely:A adjacent rows of i relativ'el'w longs and flexibler bristles i projectings oblduelyr d'o-wrrwardlyi and outwardly from therlowerrfacerotfsaid'ibaclnmember close tothe perimeter thereof and continuously around-iall sidesif of said? perimeter; af-lorrgfI narrow slot; eX- tendiingt througlirl sardo back@ member* approximateliylalongtheicenter lfiney thereofathrougl'i` sub stanti'allya'moreftifarrfhah *of thelength-y thereof', a coverlmernber overlyirrgisaid baclr'm'emberand havingratdependingimarginal zflange embracing andfcoveringtthsrlaterat ledge orisaidfback' member around substantially the completes-:perimeter thereof; the:central :partl on said: cover member having its lower face spaced upwardlyfrom'the upper-! f atei ofi said :backzsmember: and fa ftubular vacuum connection neck formed integrally-with saidooverrmernberfandnextendingsobliquelyrupwardly and rearwardly therefromatianvacute angie f at"A axpointi approximately" two-thirds,` of thef'Fd-stanceffom fthefforwardljend of the brush toward-liliana rearzendi tnereorfv.

4 ABRAM L. 

